The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-29
MANY PEOPLE MADE HOMELESS.
A SPARK FROM A LOCOMOTIVE CAUSES
THE DAMAGE.
Mansfield Burned-The Flames at Hurley, Wis-A
Washington City Biaze-Neariy 81 .o00.-
900 worth Of Property Gone up
In Smoke.

MILWAUKEE, Wis, June 2S.-Fire al
existence this afternoon and 2 900 people
are homeless The loss is not less than
loo, 900. A locomotive spark started
blaze at noon in the lumber yard of the
Upham furniture factory and it rapidly
developed into a roaring fire that spread
toward the town. Insufficient protec-
ton facilities prevented any resistance
To the flames and soon several flourish
ing factories, business blocks along
Main street and adjoining residences
were wrapped i'm flames. The people
gathered such household goods as they
could and fled to the woods. The heat
was SO intense that 9 800 feet of the Wis
cOnsin Central track, which runs through
one end of the town, was bent and
twisted. Travel cannot be resumed on
this account until tomorrow.
Special trains from Stevens Point and
Chippewa Falls conveyed fire engines to
the place, but the fire was beyond all
control. But one store and few half
burned houses remain of the fiourishing
town. Many people were transferred
by the special trains to- neighbering
towns, and others camped on the out
skirts of the town. Among the build
ings destroyed were woodenware fac
tory, grist mill, saw mill, and the fac
tory of the Upham Manufacturing Com
pany. the fremont and several minor
hotels, warehouses along the Wisconsin
Central Railroad, it's depot, four
churches and the business center. The
insurance is less than one-fifth of the
loss.
LATEST ACCOUNTS.
The latest accounts of the Marshfield
fire come from neighboring towns whose
hospitality has been thrown open to the
1000 homeless inhabitants. But few
awaited themselves of it, however, as
most of the people are being housed for
the night in wagons, rudely constructed
sheds, blankets and such household fur
niture piled up as was saved. The scenes
last night Were pitable. Wearied men
and depressed women spent the night
watching the remnants of their homes
around in the surrounding woods, VIII CT
were lit up by the glow that came from
the still burning mass that covered acres
and once represented n thriving village.
So rapid was the spread of the fire that
little could be saved. The frantic men
and women used vehicles of every de
scription to save their goods when the
IL r Al.
town. Messages have been received
that the people are but scantily supplied
with provisions and there will be suffer
ing until aid is dispatched.
Ii is impossible to get ut the exact
figures of the losses and insurance by
yesterdays fire. The loss will exceed
81 ,0O0,0 900 and the total insurance will
reach only $3O0,OOO. The burned dis
trict embraces eight blocks; bounded as
follows: A street on the north, Fourth
street on the south, Maple street on the
east and Chestnut street on the west.
The Upham Manufacturing Company
lost their saw mill, lumber yard, flour
mill, elevator, 5000 bushels of grain,
900 barrels of flour, planning mill and
furniture factory. Their loss is S250. 900.
Sanger, Rockwell K Co., of Milwaukee,
are heavy losers, having an entire
seasons cut of fine lumber destroyed
Aid in the shape of provisions and
clothing is being received at Marshfield
There are not enough roofs left standing
to shelter the homeless and people are
camping in the fields and woods.